Wow! Suddenly This Looks Like A Hot State For Club Dates

November 07, 1991|By ROGER CATLIN; Courant Rock Critic

Suddenly Connecticut looks like the center of the rock 'n' roll universe this month, with upcoming club shows by David Bowie as part of Tin Machine, the reopening of Yale's Woolsey Hall with a show by Bob Dylan and relatively rare club shows by Joan Jett and B.B. King.

Tickets go on sale this morning at Toad's in New Haven for its Nov. 19 date by Tin Machine, and at the Sting in New Britain for a Nov. 25 show -- apparently the only club shows for the band, otherwise playing theaters in nine U.S. cities on its maiden tour.

Of course, it should be mentioned that Tin Machine will resolutely stick to the two albums of material by the band, which also features Reeves Gabrels, Hunt Sales and Tony Sales. They won't do "Changes" no matter how much you yell. But the thought of seeing Bowie in a club, in whatever form, is enough to sell these shows out in a flash.

Jim Koplik of Metropolitan Entertainment, who booked the two shows, said the band isn't using the club appearances for practice -- they just wanted to have a good time playing in a club.

It's the first show Koplik is promoting at the Sting, which is celebrating its first anniversary with a number of remarkable shows. He seems to think that the Sting and Toad's can work closely in luring superstar acts to each club, which is only better for the fan.

In part, Toad's owner Mike Spoerndle says, creative booking is a way out of the recession. He was also a help in getting Woolsey Hall reopened for rock shows for the first time in nearly a decade with Dylan's Nov. 16 appearance there, which has sold out. The last show there? U2 in 1982.

Not quite as stellar, but still impressive, are the Joan Jett shows at both venues. Her "Notorious" tour, already proved arena-ready at Riverside Park last summer, plays Toad's Nov. 26 and the Sting Nov. 27 (the Molly Hatchet date on Nov. 27 as a result has been moved again, although it has not been determined where).

WHAT'S NEW Add another club coup for Toad's: B.B. King, whose new album "Never Too Late for One More Time" is just out, plays two shows at Toad's Place Dec. 1.

Tickets go on sale today for the Nov. 30 B.B. King show at the

Paramount Performing Arts Center in Springfield, with Roomful of Blues and the Shaboo All-Stars added to the bill.

Salt-n-Pepa is tentative at Toad's for Nov. 24; Warren Zevon and Southside Johnny are also tentative for the club. But Johnny Winter is now confirmed for Dec. 20. The new date for Black Uhuru is Nov. 16 in an early show.

Blues Traveler plays the Sting Dec. 20. Stryper plays Nov. 16. Also returning to the Sting are the Shaboo All-Stars Nov. 15 and Roomful of Blues Nov. 22 -- both in free shows.

Tickets are on sale for a Dec. 21 show by Blues Traveler/Widespread Panic at the Paramount in Springfield.

Woodstock at the Warner: Four performers from the celebrated concert of love and peace play the Warner Theater in Torrington Nov. 15, in a benefit for the Montessori School of Northwestern Connecticut -- Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, John Sebastian and, reviving his role as host, Wavy Gravy.

There is the possibility of an Allman Brothers/Little Feat package playing New Haven Coliseum before Christmas. In the meantime, tickets go on sale Saturday for a Dec. 6 show by Little Feat at the Palace Performing Arts Center in New Haven.

Foreigner has canceled its Nov. 29 show with XYZ at the Paramount in Springfield. The double bill is still on for the Palace in New Haven Nov. 15.

The Fleshtones return to the El 'n' Gee Club in New London Nov. 23. Also on the roster there this month: James Cotton Nov. 14, Life, Sex & Death Nov. 15, Solar Circus Nov. 21, 17 Relics Nov. 22, Sugar Minott Nov. 28 and The Reducers Nov. 30.

GUNS COUNTDOWN Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday through Ticketmaster for two Guns N' Roses at New York's Madison Square Garden Dec. 9 and 10 (with shows the 11th and 12th to follow).

Dates are still being held for the band at the Hartford Civic Center Dec. 5 and 6. But the likelihood of Axl and the boys playing here grows dim as later shows go on sale.

Word is the band doesn't want to be held accountable for tickets purchased for its canceled show at Lake Compounce Festival Park. After all, Guns was never paid for that show (or, indeed, an earlier show in Hershey, Pa., booked by Compounce co-owner Joseph Balestrieri) and doesn't want to honor those tickets, especially since Compounce has so far not issued refunds.

The state Department of Consumer Protection says it has received about 80 written complaints regarding refunds and is getting complaining calls on the subject at the rate of about 30 a day. The department also has a mid-month deadline for questions to be answered by Compounce officials as part of its investigation.